Can I drive a motorhome or a campervan using my car insurance?

Some motorhomes or campervans can be covered under car insurance if they are quite small. However, the vast majority of insurers will require you to take out specialist motorhome insurance. Contact your car insurance provider if you require more information.

Does my home contents insurance cover items in my motorhome or campervan?

If you have out-of-home cover included in your contents insurance, then some items will be insured while inside your motorhome or campervan. However, this does not apply to everything and won’t usually cover items that are in your motorhome or campervan full-time. You may want to consider specialist motorhome insurance to financially protect contents used specifically for your trips.

Do I need a special licence to drive a motorhome or campervan?

The type of licence you need to drive a motorhome or campervan depends on the weight of the vehicle and when you obtained your driving licence. You can learn more in our full guide on whether you need a special licence to drive a campervan or motorhome.

What’s the difference between a motorhome and a campervan?

Motorhomes have permanent fixtures and clearly defined areas for driving and living. Campervans are usually smaller with more basic, multi-use spaces. Motorhomes are typically built on larger chassis with dedicated living areas, while campervans are easier to manoeuvre and better suited to shorter trips.

Does this motorhome insurance cover me during crashes?

To be financially protected by your motorhome or campervan insurance in the event of an accident, you will need comprehensive cover. This may also include arrangements to get you, your motorhome and your possessions home if your vehicle is written off. Cover varies, so always check your policy documents.

How do I estimate my mileage for motorhome insurance?

If you drive your motorhome or campervan regularly, you can multiply your typical weekly mileage by 52. For occasional longer trips, calculate the mileage for each planned journey. Tools like Google Maps can help estimate journey distances.

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Why choose Ripe for Motorhome & Campervan Insurance?

Ripe offers specialist motorhome and campervan insurance, supported by a UK-based customer service team, awarded Best Motorhome Insurance Provider at the 2025 Smart Money People Insurance Choice Awards and rated 'Excellent' on Trustpilot.

Cover for your motorhome equipment and essentials

Your equipment and accessories can be covered within your overall policy, so the essentials you travel with are protected too.
Choose an excess that suits you

Pick the excess level that works for your budget, giving you more control over how your cover is set up by Ripe.
Take your cover further with optional European protection

Add European cover for trips abroad, with up to 90 days per trip or 180 days a year, so you can travel with confidence.

Start your journey with specialist insurance for motorhomes and campervans

Taking to the road in a motorhome or campervan is about freedom, flexibility and seeing places at your own pace. Motorhome and campervan insurance by Ripe helps financially protect you and your vehicle, including campervan conversions, so you can focus on where you are going next, not the what ifs. The cover is designed to be straightforward, with a team at the end of the phone and no paperwork to slow you down.

You can get a quick quote online in minutes, making it easy to put cover in place and get ready for the road ahead. Whatever your thing, exploring new places or returning to familiar favourites, it is about helping you feel confident every time you set off.

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What does motorhome and campervan insurance cover?

Motorhome and campervan insurance by Ripe can cover Public Liability, theft of your vehicle and your equipment and accessories. Plus, with optional extras such as European cover, commuting use (campervans only), and breakdown cover (not an option if vehicle age is over 30 years), you can tailor your policy to what you are looking for.

Public Liability cover - unlimited cover for death or injury caused to a third party. Up to £20m for third-party property damage, up to £5m for legal costs
Theft, accidental damage, fire, and flood cover
Equipment and accessories
New-for-old cover – for vehicles that are new, less than 2 years old, or have fewer than 12,000 miles, up to £120K in value
Emergency accommodation cover - hotel or replacement vehicle hire
Windscreen & window glass cover - £1k with the option to increase to £10k

For the full list of what's covered, please visit our Important Documents page.

Enhanced windscreen cover
Personal accident - serious injury or death following an accident
Continental Europe - up to 90 days travel in one trip or 180 days in the year
Legal expenses - covers legal costs and expenses for personal injury, uninsured loss recovery, property infringement, property damage and identity fraud. You will also have access to a 24/7 legal advice helpline.
Key cover - loss, damage or theft up to £1.5k
Commuting use (Campervans only) – covers commuting to and from your place of work
Breakdown cover (Not an option if vehicle age is over 30 years)

Carrying more than 8 passengers
Claims made when renting out your campervan
Can’t be primary residence -or slept in for more than 9 months of the year
Vehicle being used for business and travelling or to or from your place of work
Claims where driver does not have a licence or is disqualified
A vehicle that isn't registered as a motorhome or campervan with the DVLA or doesn't meet DVLA's recommended requirements to be converted to a motorhome or campervan.

Meet our motorhome insurance expert

“Additional security measures can help make your motorhome insurance cheaper. Fitting wheel clamps, alarms, trackers and other security devices can help bring your insurance costs down.”

Watch Mel's podcast episode with Motorhome Matt: choosing motorhome insurance: claims, cost, and cover explained.

Mel Savage

Head of Insurance Product

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European motorhome insurance cover

Taking life on the road abroad? Perhaps you’re planning a Portugal road trip or wondering what food to take to France in your motorhome. With specialist motorhome and campervan insurance through Ripe, you can add European cover to your policy—giving you up to 90 days travel in a single trip, or 180 days across the year, in Continental Europe.

And if your policy includes European motorhome insurance, you can also add European breakdown cover—so if you break down abroad, you’ll get roadside help for up to an hour or a tow to the nearest repairer.

Do I need motorhome or campervan insurance?

If you drive or park your motorhome or campervan on public roads in the UK, having at least third-party motorhome insurance is a legal requirement. This works in much the same way as standard car insurance.

Keep your motorhome or campervan off the road? You don’t legally need insurance, but you must register a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) through the DVLA. But you may want to consider motorhome insurance for financial protection if it’s damaged or stolen while stored off-road.

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Motorhome Insurance FAQs

Some motorhomes or campervans can be covered under car insurance if they are quite small. However, the vast majority of insurers will require you to take out specialist motorhome insurance. Contact your car insurance provider if you require more information.
If you have out-of-home cover included in your contents insurance, then some items will be insured while inside your motorhome or campervan. However, this does not apply to everything and won’t usually cover items that are in your motorhome or campervan full-time (e.g., TVs, dishes and plates, etc.). You may want to consider specialist motorhome insurance to financially protect contents used specifically for your trips.
The type of licence you need to drive a motorhome or campervan depends on the weight of the vehicle and when you obtained your driving licence. You can learn more in our full guide, do I need a special licence to drive a campervan or motorhome?
Motorhomes have permanent fixtures and clearly defined areas for driving and living. On the other hand, campervans tend to have very basic facilities and are a lot smaller.
Motorhomes and campervans are both designed for travelling and living in, but there are a few key differences that set them apart:
- Size and structure – motorhomes are typically larger and built on a truck or bus chassis
- Living space – motorhomes often have clearly defined areas for driving, sleeping, cooking, and washing. Campervans tend to be a lot smaller and have very basic, multi-use spaces.
- Facilities – motorhomes usually include permanent fixtures like kitchens and bathrooms, while campervans may have portable or minimal facilities.
- Driving experience – Campervans are easier to manoeuvre and park, making them ideal for shorter or more frequent trips. Motorhomes are better suited for longer journeys.
Whichever type of motorhome or campervan you choose, taking out motorhome insurance or campervan insurance can help financially protect your vehicle and its contents while you’re on the road.
To be financially protected by your motorhome or campervan insurance in the event of an accident, you will need comprehensive cover. This cover could also include arrangements to get you, your motorhome and your possessions home if your vehicle is written off. However, cover can vary, so make sure you check your policy documents carefully.
If you drive your motorhome or campervan regularly, you can simply take the typical number of miles you drive in a week and multiply by 52 to get your annual mileage. If you use your motorhome or campervan for occasional longer trips, you will have to figure out the distance in miles you will be travelling for each planned trip. Apps like Google Maps can be helpful for figuring out the estimated mileage of each journey.